Dynasty Warriors (series)
Dynasty Warriors (三國無双, Sangoku Musou or 真・三國無双, Shin Sangoku Musou) is a series of Hack-n-slash action games started by Koei and created by Omega Force. It draws inspiration from the historical novel, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, entailing the epic struggle of power between three kingdoms in ancient China. The series originally started as a 3D fighting game adaption of the Romance of the Three Kingdom strategy series. By the second game, however, it became the hack-and-slash hit that it's known for today. To establish a distinct difference between the first release of the series, the word "true" (真, shin) was inserted for the second title. Hence, the Japanese title for Dynasty Warriors 3 is actually Shin Sangoku Musou 2 and so on. Though listed under the action game genre, creators strove to make the series a "fusion of real time strategy and action". Eventually, the series's appeal was allowing the player to be a "one man army" versus the thousands of enemies in ancient China. Kou Shibusawa states that it was his personal desire to capture the excitement and thrill felt by the events in the novel. The series started its own type of genre. In the east, games similar to it are referred to as the Musou franchise. The English equivalent for the same term is Warriors series. The mechanics set in this series help influence game play elements in Koei's other titles, some of which include the Samurai Warriors and Dynasty Warriors: Gundam series, Kessen III, and Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War. Both the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series crossover in the Warriors Orochi series. Characters The three kingdoms struggling in each game are Wei, Wu, and Shu but the series also adds characters from miscellaneous, unaffiliated factions into the mix. These characters are labeled as "Other". Lastly, guest characters were added in the original Dynasty Warriors, and Dynasty Warriors 3. Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce 2 includes several characters who didn't exist during the Three Kingdoms period. Dynasty Warriors 7 adds Jin to the games. Characters are color coded by default to match the particular faction they serve. When told by a fan that the idea should be abandoned -and to be more liberal like Samurai Warriors, the series' producer defended the color choices since they serve as an easy method for distinguishing characters and their alignments. He would rather these tints serve as a political symbol of sorts than a completely driven aesthetic choice. Shu Image:Zhao Yun DW6 Artwork.jpg|'Zhao Yun' Image:Guan Yu DW6 Artwork.jpg|'Guan Yu' Image:Zhang Fei DW6 Artwork.jpg|'Zhang Fei' Image:Zhuge Liang DW6 Artwork.jpg|'Zhuge Liang' Image:Liubei.jpg|'Liu Bei' Image:Ma Chao DW6 Artwork.jpg|'Ma Chao' Image:Huang Zhong DW6 Artwork.jpg|'Huang Zhong' Image:Jiang Wei dw5art.jpg|'Jiang Wei' Image:Wei Yan DW6 Art.jpg|'Wei Yan' Image:Pangtong.jpg|'Pang Tong' Image:Yueying.jpg|'Yue Ying' Image:Guan Ping DW6 Art.jpg|'Guan Ping' Image:Xing Cai.jpg|'Xing Cai' Baosanniang-dw7.jpg|'Bao Sanniang' Wei Image:Xiahou Dun DW6 Artwork.jpg|'Xiahou Dun' Image:Dian Wei DW6 Art.jpg|'Dian Wei' Image:Xu Zhu Dynasty Warriors 6 Artwork.jpg|'Xu Zhu' Image:Cao Cao DW6 Art.jpg|'Cao Cao' Image:Xiahou Yuan DW6 Art.jpg|'Xiahou Yuan' Image:Zhang Liao DW6 Art.jpg|'Zhang Liao' Image:Sima Yi DW6 Art.jpg|'Sima Yi' Image:Xu Huang DW6 Art.jpg|'Xu Huang' Image:Zhanghe.jpg|'Zhang He' Image:Zhenji1.jpg|'Zhen Ji' Image:Cao Ren DW6 Art.jpg|'Cao Ren' Image:Cao Pi Dynasty Warriors 6 Art.jpg|'Cao Pi' Image:Pang De.jpg|'Pang De' Caiwenji-sf2.jpg|'Cai Wenji' Wu Image:Zhouyu dw6art.jpg|'Zhou Yu' Image:Luxun dw6art.jpg|'Lu Xun' Image:Taishi Ci DW6 Art.jpg|'Taishi Ci' Image:Sunshangxiang1.jpg|'Sun Shang Xiang' Image:Sun Jian DW6 art.jpg|'Sun Jian' Image:Sun Quan DW6 Art.jpg|'Sun Quan' Image:Lu Meng Dynasty Warriors 6 Artwork.jpg|'Lu Meng' Image:Gan Ning Dynasty Warriors 6 Artwork.jpg|'Gan Ning' Image:Huang Gai DW6 Art.jpg|'Huang Gai' Image:Sun ce dw6art.jpeg|'Sun Ce' Image:Da Qiao Dynasty Warriors 5 Artwork.jpg|'Da Qiao' Image:A-xiaoqiao.jpg|'Xiao Qiao' Image:Zhou Tai dw6art.jpg|'Zhou Tai' Image:Lingtong.jpg|'Ling Tong' Jin Simashi-dw7.jpg|'Sima Shi' Simazhao-dw7.jpg|'Sima Zhao' Wangyuanji.jpg|'Wang Yuanji' Zhugedan.jpg|'Zhuge Dan' Other Image:Diaochan.jpg|'Diao Chan' Image:Lubu DW6.jpg|'Lu Bu' Image:Dong zhuo.jpg|'Dong Zhuo' Image:Yuanshao.jpg|'Yuan Shao' Image:Zhangjiao.jpg|'Zhang Jiao' Image:Meng Huo.jpg|'Meng Huo' Image:Zhu Rong.jpg|'Zhu Rong' Image:Zuo Ci.jpg|'Zuo Ci' Guest Characters * Nobunaga (Dynasty Warriors) * Tokichi (Dynasty Warriors) * Fu Xi (Dynasty Warriors 3) * Nu Wa (Dynasty Warriors 3) * Xi Wang Mu (Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce 2) * King Mu (Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce 2) * Xiang Yu (Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce 2) * Beauty Yu (Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce 2) * San Zang (Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce 2) * Sun Wukong (Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce 2) Unique Non-Playable Characters * Sima Hui (Dynasty Warriors 5) * Emperor Xian (Dynasty Warriors 6) * Orochi (Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce) * Da Ji (Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce) * Kiyomori Taira (Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce) * Taigong Wang (Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce) * Ryu Hayabusa (Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce) * Ayane (Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce) * Momiji (Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce) * Shi Huangdi (Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce 2) * Cao Wenming (Dynasty Warriors Online) * Xiahou Bang (Dynasty Warriors Online) * Sima Ken (Dynasty Warriors Online) Games *Dynasty Warriors *Dynasty Warriors 2 *Dynasty Warriors 3 *Dynasty Warriors 3: Xtreme Legends *Dynasty Warriors 4 *Dynasty Warriors 4: Xtreme Legends *Dynasty Warriors 4: Empires *Dynasty Warriors (PSP) *Dynasty Warriors 5 *Dynasty Warriors Advance *Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends *Dynasty Warriors 5: Empires *Dynasty Warriors Vol. 2 *Dynasty Warriors Mahjong *Dynasty Warriors DS: Fighter's Battle *Dynasty Warriors Online (BB) *Dynasty Warriors 6 *Dynasty Warriors 6: Special *Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce *Dynasty Warriors 6: Empires *Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce 2 *Dynasty Warriors 7 *''Dynasty Warriors'' (tentative title) - for Nintendo 3DS Related Merchandise Koei published a twelve volume fanbook series titled Dynasty Warriors Communication (真・三國無双通信, Shin Sangoku Musou Uushin). It contained information about the developers, gag comics, official illustrations, and fun tidbits for fans. When Samurai Warriors came out, the two franchises shared a similar publication titled Musou Fan Field (無双FanField). A miniature novel series for the Romance of the Three Kingdoms was also included. Two drama CDs based on Dynasty Warriors 4 were made surrounding the battles at Chi Bi and He Fei. Gamecity also published a light novel dramatizing the CD's events. A free sample of the light novel can be read in Japanese here. See Also *''Romance of the Three Kingdoms (series)'' *''Dynasty Tactics'' *''Kessen II'' External Links * Koei-Tecmo's series 10th Anniversary site * A small Blog about all the Dynasty Warriors games Gallery Image:Dynasty Warriors Case.jpg|Dynasty Warriors package art Image:Dynasty Warriors 2 Case.jpg|Dynasty Warriors 2 package art Image:Dynasty Warriors 3 Case.jpg|Dynasty Warriors 3 package art Image:Dynasty Warriors 4 Case.jpg|Dynasty Warriors 4 package art Image:Dynasty Warriors 5 Case.jpg|Dynasty Warriors 5 package art Image:Dynasty Warriors 6 Case.jpg|Dynasty Warriors 6 package art Category: Game Series